MOFA spokesman slams Ban Ki-moon for rejecting UN bid

VOICE OF BEIJING David Wang said the secretary-general's comments on the nation's application made him sound more like an official from China

By Jewel Huang / STAFF REPORTER

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) spokesman yesterday slammed UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for remarks on Taiwan's application for UN membership that he said sounded like the words of a Chinese official.

The UN Secretariat turned down President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) application for Taiwan to be admitted to the body. The application was made in a July 19 letter to Ban.

Approached for comment at a press conference in California on Friday, Ban defended his rejection of the application, citing UN Resolution 2758 as "clearly mentioning that the government of China is the sole and legitimate government and the position of the United Nations is that Taiwan is part of China."

"The position of the United Nations is that the People's Republic of China represents the whole of China as the sole and legitimate representative government of China," Ban was quoted as saying at the press conference.

Wang said that Ban had overstepped his authority as the body's secretary-general by personally rejecting Taiwan's application instead of submitting it for deliberation by the UN member states.

Wang also said Ban had overinterpreted Resolution 2758.

"Ban's remarks on Resolution 2758 made him sound like he is China's foreign minister," Wang said.

"He sounds like he is China's permanent representative to the UN rather than the UN secretary-general," he said.

"That resolution does not address the issue of representation for the population of Taiwan at the world body," he said.

"It was not only Taiwan's allies that disagreed with Ban's interpretation. Information also indicates that the US disagrees with it," he said.

Wang said the ministry would hold a press conference today and announce a new strategy to reapply for UN membership in September.

"The MOFA will take actions to defend Taiwan's right to participate in the international community," Wang said. "Minister [James] Huang (黃志芳) will announce new ideas and measures for Taiwan's bid to join the UN."

"Holding a referendum might be one direction," Wang said.

"We believe that both process and outcome are important. But most importantly, it [a referendum] would be a reflection of the Taiwanese public's voice -- although this is a difficult mission," he said.

Taiwan will continue requesting help from its allies in conveying its desire to join the UN, he said.

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